High school athletics has grown from a standard seasonal sports program to a mandatory year-long activity.

During an interview with a prospective coach, one of the first questions likely asked is if they would be willing to conduct the program the entire year? If not, the applicant likely will not get the job.

In today’s sports programs, the head coach has to work with his or her athletes in many ways to keep them busy in the offseason. If they don’t, they might lose a certain “edge” to their competition when their program begins during the school year.

Weight training is one of the most popular for those not presently in a season. Even the girls programs can be found weight training during the offseason.

One of the sports where year-round weight training is essential is water polo.

Wilson High is blessed to host a community water polo team that works the swimmers out year-round. I know for a fact the intensity of these workouts as I follow my ninth-grade grandson, Jake Ctvrtlik. Jake swims at least 6,000 yards every day, and his coach’s mantra is “No pain no gain.”

CIF rules are quick to say that athletes may not play in outside competition during the season of their high school sport. But that doesn’t slow the athlete down in the training process and the offseason competition.

Club programs, such as the Long Beach Shore Aquatics Club, have competitions during the summer and fall leading up to the season to keep the athletes honed and ready.

Shore Aquatics consists mostly of local athletes from around the Wilson area. They participate in competitions that takes the team all over Southern California and the nation. Last summer, Shore Aquatics took fifth place in a national tournament in Michigan.

Recently, 10 swimmers in the 14-year-old class won places in the National Junior Olympic Water Polo program. They train once a month with the USA Olympic Team.

Saltwater

This last storm will probably chase away the giant schools of squid that positioned themselves no more than two miles off our coast. The strange thing about the squid is that local fishing did not improve in their presence. Squid also showed up at Catalina and San Clemente and they also didn’t kick-off the fall yellowtail and white sea bass bite. Hopefully, the bite will improve before the rockfish season is closed on Jan 1. After that, you can only catch them in Mexico.

I talked to sportboat captains about the wild, fluctuating water temps and most of them haven’t ever seen water this cold. The fishing absolutely quit.

Also with the freezing water came the absence of lobster hoop netting, probably more from the wild ocean than the water temp. Hoop netting has been tough as the surging waters roll the boats all over the place and tangle the nets in the process.

Rockfish and lobster were showing best north around the Channel Islands. Sportboats have been doing fairly well up there. But again, it is always better up there for rockfish, no matter what the water temp or ocean conditions.

Don Ashley of Pierpoint Landing reports that the commercial squid fishermen filled their quotas and now cannot take anymore. It was a banner year as they filled the quota at around 100,000 tons. That should make the Chinese happy.

The kids fish free program at Pierpoint Landing and Long Beach Marina Fishing is still underway through Jan 3. Kids under 16 fish free with a paid adult daily, 7 days a week on any boat at the landings. Call Pierpoint 562-983-9300 or Long Beach Marina 562-598-6649.

The season has closed for rockfish at Avila Beach up the coast in the Patriot sportfishing area and won’t open until May 1, 2011.

The winners for the popular lingcod tournament were also announced. First place went to David Glass, with a 24.6-pound fish worth $3,000. Second place was Joe Torres with a 20.12-pound fish worth $2,000. Finally, third place went to Bryan Shishido for his 19.2-pounder worth $1,000. Congrats, anglers.